


pulchritudinous

by potzu



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Mentioned Erwin Smith, Sad Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 10:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19743811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potzu/pseuds/potzu
Summary: Levi thinks the sea is beautiful, it holds so many promises, but not the one he needs to fullfill.





	pulchritudinous

The air tasted of salt, the sea glistened a blue that Levi had never seen before. It shimmered clear with grainy pale tan sand running beneath the surface, the captain watched as the other hopped off their horses and jumped in eagerly. They shouted and cheered, splashing about inside the water. Like children. No, not like children, they were, children. The thought made something within him somber. The sea was beautiful.

"Its crazy! All this water is salty?"

Levi turned, watching Hange instead, the women waded in, "oh! There's something there!" The brunette leaned down, rolling her pants up and examining something in the water.

"Oi, Hange! It could be dangerous! Don't touch anything." Despite his words she picked up the rough white and gray object, eyes glimmering with excitement. Levi simply let it happen, unclipping his cloak and sliding off his jacket to roll up the sleeves. It was warm, and he'd let them have their fun. What a moment. A beautiful moment. They found the basement, found the sea.

They found the sea, they were at the sea. It truly was beautiful, a beautiful moment meant to be shared. Yet the person who made it happen, the person he wanted to share it with the most wasn't even there. 

How ironic. What a bittersweet victory. He didn't even get to keep his promise. The thought makes something in him simmer, like a flame going out. Levi could feel the unfamiliar heat of tears behind his eyes as he jerks his head down, staring at his boots planted in the soft sand. It was golden. They were once golden as well. It hurts and despite the familarity somehow its different.

He had known it'd hurt, known what happens. He tried, tried his hardest to stay away, to not get attached. He did his best to steel himself, tell himself loss happens. But somehow, someway he had crawled his way into his heart and had burrowed fragments of himself into the deepest parts of him, breaking down his walls he had built for years. The ones he so carefully crafted. Erwin had done it. He'd opened him up. And look where that got Levi now. The pain in his chest felt suffocating, he hadn't properly grieved since… since he'd died. He just kept pushing against the aching restraints.

The dam was breaking and here it was. It came in the form of silent sobs, hot tears sliding down cold cheeks and wetting the tips of his boots and the sand. His chest ached. His heart ached. It was an irremovable bruise.

Levi looked up.

"Hey Levi hei… Le...vi..?" Hange started before trailing off, surprise written across her face. The others watched in bewilderment at their captain. Their sad, worn out captain who killed, lost, won, and never showed a thing. A man so strong he could take down titan upon titan on his own. Yet he was crying. No one said a thing, seemingly understanding. Everyone looked away as his lips parted, knowing, listening.

Levi looked to the sky, blue, pink, orange, clouds white. The air tasted of salt and the sea glistened blue.

"Erwin, I promise."

pulchritudinous  
(adj.) breathtaking, heartbreakingly beautiful


End file.
